


Angel to-be

by CantatriceX (Cantatrice18)



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Abuse, Adventure, Drama, Gen, Nudity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-21
Updated: 2011-05-31
Packaged: 2017-10-19 16:43:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/CantatriceX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannah's abuse comes to Ciel's attention, and he decides to pursue the matter further. What he discovers is not what he (or anyone else) expected, and the butlers must work together to defeat an unforeseen foe.</p><p>Slight AU, Hannah is not demonic. Her characterization is that of the first 5 episodes of Kuroshitsuji II.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Ciel watched silently as Alois struck the serving girl across the face. It was not surprising, really, that a toad like Alois would act so crudely in public. As their conversation ended (unproductively of course, as Alois could never and would never act rationally), he saw the girl try to slip away unnoticed. Her attempt was thwarted, however, by Alois’ sharp command – “Hannah, where are you going? Get our guests their coats – or are you completely useless?”. He leered at her as she turned and walked hesitatingly back to where Ciel and Sebastian stood. The red mark from Alois’ hand was still visible, yet as she drew closer Ciel began to notice other, more subtle injuries. Bruises were clearly outlined on one wrist, as though it had been crushed by something. A gash on her forehead was nearly healed, but another one along her jaw looked new. She was walking, not timidly, but gingerly, as though each motion caused her pain. Ciel wondered, with a sinking feeling, how the rest of her body compared with her hands and face; by now he was convinced that the bandages over her eye weren’t from any accident. She passed by them, never looking up from the ground. Ciel turned to Sebastian, but what he intended to say fled his mind as he heard a crash, followed by a gasp of pain and a raucous peal of laughter. Ciel spun around to see Hannah on the floor by the coat rack, surrounded by dirt and shards of pottery. Alois stood on the balcony above her. “ I don’t think I like that plant anymore Hannah. Make sure you clean it up thoroughly!” He grinned, then added “After all, dirt looks better on someone like you than it does on my rug!” With another peal of laughter he departed. Claude followed, casting a wary look back towards Sebastian.

A moment passed, then Ciel walked to where Hannah lay, breathless. He saw that new cuts were bleeding through the right arm of her dress. No doubt she had shielded herself from the expected attack. “Sebastian” Ciel said, and the butler immediately began to care for Hannah’s wounds. She jumped as he touched her, and shrank even more into herself. Ciel watched for a minute, then asked calmly, “Why are you still here?”

Her head jerked upwards. “My lord…?”

“Why are you here?” Ciel repeated, “Why don’t you leave?”. He wondered vaguely whether she was a masochist, or perhaps infatuated with Alois (though why anyone would want to spend more time with Alois than necessary was beyond him).

“I … can’t” Hannah replied, so soft that he barely heard her.

“Can’t?” he prodded, “Why not?”.

For a moment he thought she wasn’t going to answer. Then, reluctantly, she whispered, “He…owns me”.

Ciel quickly masked his dismay, and motioned for her to continue. “When he…first came to this house I was already here. My family died when I was young, and I was sent to find work. Earl Trancy agreed to take me, and made me sign papers. I didn’t know until afterwards that they were indenture contracts.“

Ciel started in surprise. “But indentured servitude hasn’t been used in years! Surely…”

“My lord”, said Sebastian quietly, “Though uncommon, the practice is still legal by British law, and must be upheld in court”.

Hannah refused to meet Ciel’s gaze. “So you see, my lord, there is little I can do. As the new Earl Trancy, master Alois is entitled to my services, whatever he deems them to be, and I cannot deny him. Even if I did attempt to escape, there is nowhere for me to go. I have no money, and no friends or family to help me. There is no doubt that he would pursue me – it would be like a game to him, sniffing me out only to rip me apart when he found me.”

The sadness and resignation in Hannah’s voice made Ciel want to crush the smirk off of Alois’ face. If there was one thing he hated, it was abuse of power. Ruthlessness he could understand, even admire. But the thought of systematically destroying someone’s life, just for the feeling of control, made him nauseous. His brooding was interrupted by a shriek from the floor above: “Hannah, get in here you tart!”.

Hannah flinched, then struggled to rise to her feet. Ciel quickly offered her his hand, and after a slight hesitation she took it. “Th-thank you”, she murmured, looking at the floor. She carefully dusted herself off, then headed for the stairs. As she reached them, she paused, then turned back and called softly “Thank you for listening”.

Another shriek from Alois caused her to hurry away, up the stairs and out of sight. Ciel stood looking after her for a moment, then turned towards the door. Sebastian stood there, Ciel’s overcoat in his hands. “Sebastian?”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Take care of that, please.” Motioning towards the remains of the plant on the floor, Ciel walked through the doors of the Trancy estate, lost in his own dark thoughts.


	2. Several weeks later...

Sebastian waited, with growing impatience, in the grove of trees. He hoped that the Undertaker’s information was correct, otherwise he’d be making a fool of himself for nothing. The midnight bell had long since tolled, and Claude still had not arrived. He was about to give up when the faintest rustling from the leaves above him signaled Claude’s presence, and he quickly stepped aside as the other butler fell neatly onto the spot where Sebastian had just been standing. Claude looked warily around, then met Sebastian’s gaze. “I assume there is a reason for this inconvenient, clandestine meeting?” he asked in a drawl.

Sebastian sighed inwardly. This was not going to go well. “Indeed there is. You’ll remember when my master last visited your master’s house – “

“How could I forget?” interjected Claude. “I believe it ended in a shouting match. My ears are still ringing.”

Sebastian chose to ignore the rudeness of the interruption, and continued, “Yes, well, while we were there I noticed that your maid, Hannah, looked considerably worse off than I had last seen her.” And she hadn’t looked particularly healthy then either, he thought to himself. “It is obvious that Alois is the source of her injuries, and that their frequency has been increasing.”

“You brought me all the way out here for a maid?” Claude asked, sneering. “If my master wants to use her as his toy, what is it to you? He finds her entertaining.”

Sebastian decided it would be better to just get to the point. At the very least it would make their meeting shorter. “It has come to my attention that, unless something is done to remove Hannah from her current situation, she will be a strong contender for Angel candidacy. “

Claude’s composure faltered for a moment, and Sebastian could tell that he was surprised. Then the mocking smile returned. “Why Sebastian, who’d have ever thought that you’d be such an alarmist? As I remember it, there is little short of martyrdom that would land a person on the list of Angel candidates. I think you’ll find that Hannah is quite safe.” His smile became more cynical as he added, “From that, at least.”

Sebastian could tell that he was fighting a losing battle. “Believe whatever you wish. But watch how he treats her. I think then you’ll understand what I mean.”

Claude bristled. “I think, Sebastian,” he said, his voice as cold as ice, “that it is you who does not understand the situation. I’ll thank you to stay out of my master’s affairs.”

Without so much as a nod, he whirled around and disappeared through the trees. Sebastian considered following him, but decided against it. He wasn’t likely to make any headway with Claude, no matter how long they talked. Resigned, he turned and made his way back towards his master’s house. He would just have to watch and see what developed.


	3. Chapter 3

Claude brooded over his meeting with Sebastian for much of the next day. Alois, perhaps sensing his butler’s preoccupation, became more and more erratic as the day wore on. He refused to conduct any business, instead going from one occupation to another in a whirl of manic energy. First came a carriage ride through the town, but Alois distracted the driver and Claude had to intervene quickly in order to keep the carriage from careening over the side of a bridge. The music master came that afternoon to teach Alois the violin but left after 5 minutes, wringing his hands and practically running to the door. Claude made a mental note to call on the man personally, as it might take some persuasion to make him return. Next came a walk in the manor’s gardens, with Alois chasing the pigeons and laughing hysterically. The walk ended when the boy shoved Hannah and the triplets into a large fountain, then leapt in after them, splashing water at Claude and the servants and laughing all the while.

The evening was growing cold quickly, and after hustling Alois back inside and toweling him off, Claude made a quick tour of the house, lighting all of the fireplaces and lamps in order to ward off the chill night air. He was walking back towards Alois’ room when he heard a woman’s voice cry out in pain, and Alois yelling. Recalling Sebastian’s words, Claude entered the room silently in order to observe Alois’ behavior from afar. Hannah lay by the window, her body surrounded by a pool of red. Claude’s eyes widened before he realized that it wasn’t blood – not entirely, anyway. Hannah was still soaking wet from the fountain incident that afternoon. She had been kept too busy to care for herself, instead attending to Alois and making sure that he was completely warm and dry. She had obviously been helping him dress when the problem began. His clothes had been flung clear across the room, and on one sleeve Claude could discern the tiniest stain of water. Alois, wearing only a dressing gown, was crouched over Hannah on the floor. The broken remains of a water jug lay scattered around the pair of them, and Claude saw that the source of the red in the water was a long gash along the side of Hannah’s neck. Alois’ voice jolted Claude from his thoughts: “How dare you get any of your filth on my clothes!“ he cried, “Those clothes are worth more than you’ll ever be!“. Then he paused, and a malicious smile began to form on his lips. “I know just what you deserve. You ruined my clothes, I’ll ruin yours!”

Vaguely, Claude noticed Hannah trembling, but he was too intent on his master to notice much else. Alois ran to the cabinet, and came back carrying a large pair of sewing scissors. He straddled Hannah’s body, pinning her to the floor. Grabbing her right wrist, he began to cut his way up her sleeve. The scissors were too large for his hands, and his grip slipped several times, causing little flowers of blood to appear on Hannah’s skin. Alois reached her shoulder, then grabbed the collar of her dress, yanking her towards him. Staring at her face the entire time, he began to slice downwards, cutting her dress in half, but leaving her apron whole. Too impatient to dissect her other sleeve, he yanked roughly at her bodice until the fabric came loose, then flung the dress towards the wall where his clothes now lay. Pushing aside her apron, he cut through the ties of her corset, laughing as it sprang away from her body. “Why Hannah, you glutton, you are getting too fat for your clothes. Don’t worry, I’ll make certain that you’ll never have too much to eat again!”

Hannah lay motionless, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her misery and pain seemed to have overwhelmed her. Alois continued his shearing, making quick work of her underclothes. Finally she lay before him, clothed only in her apron. Alois sat back, surveying his handiwork. “Now Hannah, don’t you think this is a fair trade? My clothes for yours?”

Hannah didn’t move, and Alois asked again, impatiently: “Hannah, you think I’m fair, don’t you?."

She struggled back to awareness, and murmured “Yes, m-my lord”. Her eye scanned the room, looking anywhere but at Alois, and finally came to rest on the shadowy far corner. Her face colored, and Claude knew she’d spotted him watching, a silent spectator to her humiliation.

Alois turned to see what she was staring at, and his face brightened when he saw Claude. He leapt off of Hannah, and motioned impatiently for her to stand. She struggled to her feet as he grabbed her wrist and rushed over to where Claude stood. “Hannah is a useless little slut, Claude, but I’ve been fair and wise and now she’ll know better before touching any of my things with her dirty hands!”

Alois giggled as he danced in a circle around Hannah, motioning towards her as though she was a prized work of art. She stood, paralyzed, her modesty barely preserved by the apron. Alois stopped his pirouettes as he came around and stood next to Claude. “You may go now, Hannah, if you promise never to do it again.”

“Yes my lord, I swear it” Hannah breathed, her voice barely audible.

She turned towards the door, but had only taken a few steps when Alois called “Hannah”. She slowly turned back to him, fear radiating from her. He walked towards her, then quickly darted around behind her, standing on tiptoes to whisper in her ear.

“I’ve never liked that apron”, he hissed, and with two snips of the scissors the apron fell to the floor. “Now you may go” Alois said brightly, and he towed her to the doorway and thrust her into the hall. Turning back towards Claude, he said airily “I don’t feel like going down to supper this evening, Claude. Bring my supper to me here!”

“Yes, your highness,” Claude replied, and he exited silently, leaving Alois prancing around the bedroom and playing with the shreds of Hannah’s dress.

Claude saw her as soon as he walked through the doorway. She was sitting curled up, knees to her bare chest, on the hard teak floor of the hall. Tears ran down her face, but she made no sound, and Claude suspected that she was in shock. Mutely he passed her his overcoat, then strode past her down the hallway towards the study. His master’s supper could wait; he had a letter to write.


	4. Chapter 4

Sebastian tried desperately to conceal his glee, but couldn’t help a tiny smile escaping his lips as Claude entered the clearing. Claude scowled at him. “It appears that the situation is more serious than I’d thought.”

Sebastian ignored the repeating mantra of “I told you so” that was dancing through his mind, and focused on the issue at hand. “Indeed. You acknowledge, now, that something has to be done about her?”

Claude was tempted to slap the smirk off of Sebastian’s face, but his anger ebbed as he thought of the scene in his master’s bedroom: Hannah naked and cringing on the floor and Alois sitting atop her, armed with a wickedly sharp pair of scissors and an even more wicked grin. There was no doubt that if left in Alois’ hands she would be well on her way to martyrdom. He controlled his emotions and nodded curtly at Sebastian. “She must be removed from the house as soon as possible”, he conceded.

Sebastian smiled, “Then we’re agreed: you’ll have her sent away immediately."

Claude shook his head sharply. “You seem to misunderstand the situation, my dear Sebastian. She is my master’s favorite toy. He will not take her absence lightly.”

Sebastian paused, then smiled once more. “She could come and work as a servant at our manor.” Claude made a noise of derision, but Sebastian continued. “Master Alois rarely visits my lord at his home. He prefers my lord to come to him. Therefore Hannah’s presence could be hidden from him.”

Sebastian stopped, but Claude continued for him, thinking out loud. “If Alois is simply told that she ran away, he might suspect a plot. He tends to link every disturbance to you and your master. She needs to disappear while both of you are in plain sight; he can’t suspect you if you were with him at the time.“

Sebastian nodded his agreement, but raised a brow at Claude. “And how do you suggest, then, that she get to our manor without being noticed and without any aid?”

Claude met his eyes squarely. “I don’t believe I mentioned her being without aid. I will take her to your manor myself. It won’t take more than a few minutes, and as long as you and your master keep Alois preoccupied, he won’t even register my absence.”

Sebastian doubted highly that the switch could be performed so easily, but he slowly nodded in agreement. The plan was a good one, though it would take some finesse in order to keep Hannah’s whereabouts hidden from Alois. A sudden thought flashed through his head. “And what if he commands you to go after her? He would never believe that a butler like you would be unable to find a servant girl.”

Claude paused, mulling over the problem in his mind. He couldn’t claim she’d left the country. Alois would insist that he follow her to the ends of the earth; he was too proud to let a maid get the better of him. The image of the previous night appeared again in his mind, but this time he noticed different things: the blood in the water around Hanna’s head, and the torn remains of her dress. He smiled in triumph as he met Sebastian’s gaze. “I am prepared for that eventuality. I suggest that we put our plan into action sooner rather than later. Time is, after all, of the essence. My lord is holding a ball on Thursday night. That gives us 3 days to make any preparations necessary. But what about you, Sebastian? How do you intend to inform your master of his new… acquisition? Or are you intending to keep her hidden from him as well?”

Sebastian gave a wry smile as he retorted, “My master will have no qualms about taking Alois’ toy away from him. The temper tantrum alone would make it worth the trouble. Until Thursday, then.” The butlers nodded to each other, and both quickly disappeared into the trees.

As Sebastian glided swiftly back towards the Phantomhive manor, he thought of all the things he’d left out of their conversation. Claude did not know, for instance, that Sebastian had gone to the undertaker on his master’s orders, specifically to find out more about Hannah. His master had received the information about Hannah’s Angel candidacy stoically, then outlined the very plan they were now following. He would not be an unwitting accomplice, as Claude plainly thought, but a general, silently manipulating the battle from afar. Sebastian felt a surge of pride, and a wave of hunger. Approaching the manor house he slowed and gazed up at the window behind which Ciel was no doubt sleeping. A twisted smile crossed his lips, and he whispered fervently, “Yes, my lord”.


	5. Chapter 5

Thursday seemed like it would never come. Claude watched, wincing inwardly, as Alois tormented Hannah verbally and physically. On Tuesday morning he had shoved her while she was carrying a heavily laden breakfast tray, then berated her for her clumsiness. That afternoon he had gloried in knocking things over and having her pick them up, only to knock them over once more. This seemed to go on interminably until Claude distracted him by teaching him a new dance to perform at the ball. Wednesday morning seemed calm. Alois enjoyed his breakfast with no mishaps, and it was only that afternoon, when Claude conducted a sweep of the house to check for anything damaged or out of place, that he found out how his master had really spent the morning. In one of the spare bedrooms Claude found Hannah standing motionless by the nightstand. Her long braid had been tied tightly to one of the rails that held the canopy above the bed in place; she was unable to even turn her head, for fear of tearing out her own hair. Claude sighed, then swiftly freed her and sent her to work in the kitchens where, he hoped at least, she wouldn’t run into Alois. He needn’t have worried; Alois seemed to have gotten bored, and contented himself with calling her the vilest names he could think of.

Thursday morning dawned fair and beautiful, ideal weather for a summer ball. Claude, however, was not at all pleased to see the clear sky. He had been hoping for some cloud cover to help disguise his movements. The addition of a full moon meant that getting Hannah to the Phantomhive manor unnoticed would be much more difficult.

Claude worked all morning and into the afternoon. He cleaned, cooked, and decorated, making sure that the house was spotless for the ball that evening. Alois popped in and out sporadically, usually hindering Claude’s progress. The boy was in an exuberant and gleeful mood at the prospect of guests, one guest in particular. He retreated to his study after lunch, ostensibly to go over the accounts his company’s managers had sent him, but Claude suspected that most of his time would be spent plotting new ways to destroy Ciel Phantomhive. Alois had talked of little else all day.

Claude turned his attentions to other, more pressing matters. He had prepared a tiny vial, which he now kept hidden in the pocket of his waistcoat. After careful consideration, he’d concluded that drugging Hannah would be the easiest way to transport her. He’d thought about using his hands to knock her out, but it seemed too crude; there was no way of knowing how her body would respond, considering the abuse it had taken lately. He had immediately dismissed the idea of bringing her to the manor conscious. Speed was of the essence, and with her awake he would be forced to take her by conventional methods – carriage or horseback – because she was unaware of his demonic nature. Besides which, the drug would ensure that she stayed asleep for the whole length of the journey. The last thing he needed was for her to wake up as he was carrying her through the woods at an inhuman speed.

He put the finishing touches on the flower arrangement that dominated the long dining table and stepped back to admire his handiwork. It was a masterpiece: different blossoms were placed in just the right positions, so that each bloom appeared unique and perfect even as it complemented all the others. As he walked up the stairs towards the study a familiar crash met his ears. Claude sighed inwardly, then quietly entered and stood just inside the doorway. The remains of a tea set lay in shards on the floor; Alois stood in the midst of them, his hands around Hannah’s throat as she knelt before him. “Oh Hannah, you’ve dropped something again” he said in a singsong voice. “Maybe if you’d brought me the best tea set, instead of this second-rate one, you would have been more careful with it.” His eyes narrowed. “Maybe you shouldn’t be allowed to carry things. You’re useless at it anyway.”

He dragged her over to the desk, forcing her to her knees in front of it. “Give me your arm, Hannah,” he commanded, his voice taking on a menacing tone. She obeyed, looking at the floor. Alois raised her arm above her head, then pushed it back, so that her forearm was at a right angle to the edge of the desk. Claude realized what he was planning and marveled inwardly at the boy’s ingenuity. There was no way Alois could singlehandedly break Hannah’s arm – he was still a child, after all, and she a grown woman. But he was using the desk as a lever: even with the difference in weight and strength, if he struck her arm in the right place it would snap in half. It was horribly cruel, but brilliant nonetheless. Claude walked calmly to his master’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder. “My lord, it is time for you to dress for the evening.”

Alois made no move to let go of Hannah, and so Claude added “You can finish with this later, if you so desire.”

Reluctantly, the boy let Hannah's arm drop. Looking down at her, he grinned. “Until next time then, Hannah,” he said, his voice sugar-sweet once more. He kicked her viciously, then giggled and ran to the door, pirouetting as he reached it. “Ciel Phantomhive will dance to my tune tonight!” he cried gleefully. He raced out into the hall and Claude could hear his laughter echoing through the empty house.

About to follow, Claude turned back to look at Hannah. She still knelt on the floor, cuts from the broken china bleeding slowly through her clothes. Claude snapped his fingers and she jumped, then looked up at him. “Clean those,” he said, gesturing to her cuts, “and make yourself presentable for this evening. I will see you in the kitchens at five-o’clock, and I expect you to look like a suitable Trancy maid should.” She nodded, head bowed, and he left to prepare his master for the excitement of the evening ahead.


	6. Chapter 6

For three days Sebastian had watched his master brood over their plan, and all it entailed. He could tell the boy was making every possible effort to crush his curiosity; Ciel Phantomhive hated to admit that he was ignorant of anything. Yet at the same time, his insatiable thirst for knowledge begged to understand the whole extent and consequences of the plan. By Thursday night, he could stand it no longer. As Sebastian dressed the boy for the ball, lacing his boots, Ciel said curtly, “Sebastian.”

The butler looked up, smiling inwardly that his master’s interest had finally gotten the better of him. Ciel clenched one fist, then looked away from where Sebastian knelt and said grudgingly, “Tell me. Explain to me the meaning of ‘Angel Candidate’. I need to know before the plan proceeds any further.”

Sebastian thought for a moment, choosing his words very carefully. Then, slowly, he began. “You know, master, what demon’s seek most in their prey?”

Ciel grimaced, then shook his head sharply.

“They search for a person who has suffered immensely, and who desires revenge for the wrongs done to them. The more intense the suffering, the stronger the need for vengeance, and the more potent and desirable a person becomes.”

Ciel’s face darkened as he remembered his own tortured past, and he glared up at Sebastian “What do Demons have to do with Angels?” he demanded.

Sebastian paused slightly. “Angels and Demons have that in common you see: both seek out a person in pain, a person suffering far more than any human should. The only difference is that Angels are drawn to those who endure the anguish without any desire for vengeance. Consequently, a true Angel Candidate is hard to find. And unlike the prey of Demons, Angel Candidates are transformed into Angels themselves, becoming yet another pawn in the game of good versus evil.“

Ciel rapidly processed this new information, turning to Sebastian with a frown. “How exactly do you reverse Angel Candidacy, then?” he asked.

Sebastian smiled faintly. “Simple, my lord,” he replied, and Ciel frowned more deeply at him. “The suffering of the Angel Candidate must be alleviated. If the person regains any sort of happiness, then they are no longer eligible. Ironic, isn’t it, considering the reputation of Angels as the guardians of happiness - only the miserable may join their ranks.”

Ciel stared out of the window, lost in his own musings.

Without warning, the window shattered, and Sebastian instinctively dove at Ciel, grabbing him and moving him out of harm’s way in the blink of an eye. He prepared himself for the intruder’s attack, checking which exits were available and shifting the boy in his arms so that he had as much freedom of movement as possible. His preparations were interrupted by a high-pitched cry of “Sebas-chan!”

The long red hair was unmistakable – Grell Sutcliff had come to call on them. Sebastian sighed and set Ciel down, but watched the reaper warily and he pranced around the room. “Oh Sebastian,” he cried, “How wonderful it is to see you, your perfect hair, your perfect teeth, Oh Sebas-chan!”

Sebastian thought ominously about Grell’s reasons for coming to the manor. Reapers had only one job – soul harvesting – yet the flamboyant Grell often took it upon himself to perform other tasks. And somehow or another, those tasks usually ended up involving Sebastian. “Why are you here, Grell?” he asked, a bit exasperated.

Grell, catching the disapproval in Sebastian’s voice, sat with a thump on the floor and began to pout. “I am only here on business, just passing through, and silly me, I thought you might like to know some interesting little tidbits I’ve picked up, here and there.”

Sebastian could hear the glee in Grell’s voice, but the reaper continued his charade of the injured victim, turning away and continuing, “Obviously I shouldn’t have even bothered stopping by. You two are far too busy for poor little me. I’ll just have to keep my information to myself and go on my lonely way.”

The reaper eyed Sebastian naughtily, and the demon barely suppressed a groan. He knew what the reaper wanted. He made a show of checking one of his sleeves for any speck of dust, then flicked the imaginary dust flakes off his arm, arching his back and allowing his hair to fall roguishly over his brow. The reaper could barely contain himself from panting. Sebastian walked gracefully over to where Grell sat, taking his time. By the time he drew near Grell was near hysterics. “Oh Sebas-chan, you are a wonderful, dazzling vision of manly perfection! You are a god, a paragon of refinement! Your eyes, your lips, your hair…”

He continued in that vein for some time. Sebastian looked back at Ciel; the boy watched silently, a slight smile on his lips, and Sebastian could tell that he was amused by the situation. When Sebastian felt that the reaper’s delighted musings had progressed enough, he turned back to Grell and asked calmly, “Now, what news do you have for me? Is someone I know about to be graced by your presence in a more … professional way?”

Grell looked sheepish for just a moment, but then resumed staring adoringly at Sebastian. “Well, actually, I’m not here on business, not really.” He grinned, sharp teeth gleaming. “It’s just so exciting, I couldn’t resist! After all, who would ever miss an opportunity to watch a fight between an Angel and a Demon?”


	7. Chapter 7

The ball was stunning. Due to Claude’s efforts, the Trancy estate had been transformed into a glittering palace. The silver and crystal had been shined and polished to the point that they glowed, the light from the candles and chandelier gleaming off of each surface. Flowers were everywhere, perfuming the air and blurring the line between indoors and outdoors. The food at dinner was elegant; the wines were subtle and complemented the meal perfectly. Claude had convinced Alois to let the triplets serve, saying that the guests would be more impressed by identical, impeccably dressed waiters, and consigned Hannah to the kitchen. Alois made a great show of greeting each guest personally, giving Claude a chance to surreptitiously exchange words with Sebastian. The knowledge that an Angel was already in motion pursuing Hannah made both butlers anxious to put the plan into action. At the first chance he saw, Claude exited into the kitchen.

Hannah was standing by the far counter, refilling champagne glasses and placing them on silver trays for the triplets to carry through the hall. Claude moved up behind her, unnoticed. She was shaking slightly, he saw, and looked careworn. He reached around her from behind and laid a hand on hers, steadying it. She stiffened in surprise, her gaze dropping to the floor. As she did, the tiniest droplets of champagne spilled from the glass she held. He turned her around, his expression cold and calculating. “You are too unstable to be trusted with the drinks for this evening. My lord would be disappointed if he saw your handiwork. Return to your normal duties - you are unfit to work in public.” She gave a small nod, blushing, and moved to go, but he caught her arm. As she turned back towards him he took the glass of champagne that she’d spilled, and raised it towards her in a mock toast. “Hannah, first we must drink to this evening. No one else will be able to use this glass, now that you’ve spilled it. So drink, Hannah.” She looked up at him in surprise. “Claude, I…-“ she faltered, but he repeated his request, this time as a command. She looked at the glass with a mixture of confusion and apprehension, then cautiously took it from his hands. Closing her eyes, she sipped. “The whole thing,” Claude ordered, and when she hesitated once more he placed a hand behind her head, guiding the glass to her lips with the other. “Drink, Hannah.” At that moment, Alois came bursting into the kitchen, knocking Hannah aside as he raced to Claude. “They’re all here Claude, I’ve been waiting, can’t we do it now?” he cried. “I want to show them that Ciel Phantomhive has nothing on me. I want then to know that this is the best ball they’ll ever go to in their lives!” He grabbed Claude’s arm, leading him towards the door, but stopped to look back at Hannah. “What’s the matter with you, you useless lump?” he sneered. She hadn’t moved from where he’d shoved her, and Claude could see that her knuckles were white where she held on to the counter. The drug had begun to take effect – she only had a few more seconds before she passed out completely. Claude snapped to attention, and Alois looked towards him once more. “My lord, I do agree that it is dark enough. Let us go.” He walked as swiftly as possible, Alois running to catch up. They left the kitchen, and Claude heard a muffled thud as Hannah fell to the floor, unconscious – he had two hours to complete the plan.

The fireworks display that Alois had been so keen on was, indeed, spectacular. Dragons in red and blue burst into flames in the night sky, plumes of green and white stars accompanying them. The reflections off of the pods and fountains in the garden made the whole effect magical, and the guests ooh-ed and ahh-ed appropriately. Alois looked very pleased with himself, and began to walk among the guests, receiving congratulations and accolades at the splendid performance. Claude left unnoticed, making eye contact with Sebastian as he went. Hopefully the other butler would help ensure that his master would be too distracted to notice anything odd.

He arrived at the kitchen just in time to keep one of the triplets from entering. The last thing he needed was for the other servants to see Hannah prostrate on the floor – word would inevitably get out. He had hidden a long black cloak in one of the unused cupboards, and now wrapped it around Hannah's body, completely covering her from view. He situated her in his arms, thankful for her small size – she would barely hold him back at all. The kitchen had an exit to the outside for deliveries, and it was through this door that Claude took Hannah, surreptitiously moving through the shadows to escape notice by any stray guests or their servants. Thankfully, the entire party was still distracted in the aftermath of the fireworks show, and Claude was able to make it across the grounds and out of the gate with no trouble. Once he reached the woods he began to run, covering ground more swiftly than any human could. He was forced to stop twice: once because of a romantic couple, roaming hand in hand in search of a perfect spot to settle down for the evening; and once because of a group of villagers, searching for a lost child. Claude privately thought it was doubtful that the child would be found – the woods were thick around the village, and even on clear nights it was difficult to see more than a few feet in front of you. He continued to run, Hannah lying limp in his arms. He reached a stream, and was about to cross it, when he felt a hard tug. Hannah’s long braid had fallen from the folds of the cloak, and had caught in the brambles on the bank. Claude spent a moment trying to free it, but the thorns had entrapped the hair so thoroughly that it was nearly impossible to disentangle it. Impatiently, he took a knife from his pocket and in one clean slash cut her loose, leaving her braid behind. He tucked her hair, now barely waist length, back into the hood of the cloak, and ran on.

He reached the Phantomhive manor and paused, looking around. A small light was shining in one of the upstairs windows, and Claude leapt gracefully to the ledge. Sure enough, the window opened easily, and Claude maneuvered Hannah inside before climbing through himself. He found himself in a small yet tidy guest bedroom, equipped with a large four-poster bed. He lay Hannah down and carefully unwound the cloak from around her thin frame. She hadn’t moved or made a sound in the entire course of their journey, and he did a quick check to make sure her pulse and breathing were stable. Satisfied that she was suffering no unforeseen effects from the drug, he folded the cloak and laid it next to her on the bed. With luck, she’d sleep until morning – that particular drug often left the user drowsy. He extinguished the candle and left silently the way he came.


	8. Chapter 8

Back at the Trancy estate, Alois had tired of basking in the polite admiration of the crowd. He looked around impatiently, and Ciel and Sebastian caught his eye. He made his way towards them, stopping directly in front of Ciel. “Well, Ciel Phantomhive?” he said mockingly, “Have you ever had anything like this at one of your little parties?”

Ciel demurred politely, but added, “I have never seen the need to display my wealth.”

Alois’ face darkened, and his fists clenched. “You think you’re better than me? You think just because you have a contract you’re above everyone else? My Claude could destroy your Sebastian without a second thought!”

He looked over his shoulder to where Claude usually stood but Ciel distracted him, responding quickly, “I prefer to leave butlers out of trivial matters like these. They are needless complications.”

Alois turned back to Ciel, furious. “Trivial? You think I’m trivial, when I could crush you – “

“Prove it.” Ciel interrupted, and he felt Sebastian move closer to him.

Alois looked startled, but then grinned. “I would love nothing more than to finish you off myself. It would be the highlight of the evening.”

They walked together into a neighboring room, away from the rest of the party. Alois turned, swiftly drawing the short sword at his side, and Ciel followed suit a moment later. They circled each other, then Alois made a sharp pass at Ciel, which he parried easily. Another thrust followed, and then another, all of them easily blocked. Sebastian could see that despite the boy’s boasting Alois had little technique or skill at sword fighting. Ciel, on the other hand, had trained for some time, and had taken up the sword like he did everything else – with a focus and determination strong enough to make him a master in half the time it took a normal man. He could have finished Alois off in an instant, but Sebastian saw that he’d kept a cool head, and was focused on their task of distracting Alois rather than on any personal vendetta. Alois also noticed Ciel’s reluctance to strike, and grinned even wider. “You don’t even have the courage to get near me, do you? Don’t you know what a sword is for? It’s for stabbing – “ he thrust towards Ciel’s stomach, and was easily blocked. “It’s not for mincing around like a girl, Ciel Phantomhive. Perhaps you’re not such a good nobleman after all: you seem to be a miserable swordsman, at least.”

Ciel’s face remained blank, but Sebastian could tell that his irritation was mounting. As Alois continued his jibes and taunts, Ciel became more and more frustrated. Finally, he could stand it no longer, and he raised his arm in a quick strike, disarming Alois in one blow. The blonde boy stood, stunned, and Ciel moved the point of his sword to rest beneath the boy’s chin. “I am quite confident in my own abilities, both as a swordsman and a noble.”

Sebastian could see that Ciel was tempted to leave a more permanent mark on Alois than just words, but he was saved the trouble of interfering. A strong hand came to rest on Alois' shoulder, and the boy turned his head to see Claude standing behind him. “My lord, your guests are beginning to depart. Surely you wish to see them off.”

Ciel took a step back, allowing Alois to move. Claude led his master to the door, shooting a disapproving look back at Sebastian before leaving.

Sebastian smiled slightly. “It appears that Claude was not altogether satisfied with our method of distracting his master.”

Ciel sheathed his sword, then looked up at Sebastian. “Regardless of that, it seemed to have worked. I only hope that Claude managed to do his job.”

“Now, what job would that be?” came a voice from behind them.

The pair spun around in surprise. By the far window stood a tall woman, all in white. The window was open, and her long blonde hair was moving slightly with the breeze. Tiny diamonds sparkled at her earlobes and wrists. She was the most beautiful woman Ciel had ever laid eyes on, and he felt awed and overwhelmed in her presence. Sebastian, however, felt none of these effects. He glowered, looking the woman up and down. “I see you Angels have overcome your reservations about jewelry. Not pleasures of the flesh any longer?”

The Angel smiled slowly, teeth as white as her dress. “We feel that it better reflects our status as guardians of all that is good and right in the world.” Her eyes shifted from Sebastian to Ciel, and her eyebrows rose slightly. “I see you’ve been contracted, Demon. It must get tiresome to follow the orders of a mere human. But then, it’s only what you deserve.”

Ciel had overcome his wonder, and was now staring at the Angel, brow furrowed. There was something not right about her, something off. She was so perfect, yet…

”Lets stop dancing around, shall we?” Sebastian said through clenched teeth. “Why have you come?”

The Angel gave a soft laugh. “Surely you already know. I seek a beleaguered sister, one who is oppressed by the dark forces governing this house. She will be taken into our fold, and treated with the honor and respect she deserves.”

“By that you mean that she’ll become an Angel herself,” Sebastian retorted disdainfully, “How utterly thrilling for her.”

The angel’s smile faltered slightly, and Ciel suddenly realized what was so odd about her. Though she spoke of being kind and virtuous, there was not an ounce of warmth in her gaze. Her eyes were a steel grey, and while they were framed by long dark lashes they were just as icy and calculating as Sebastian’s.

“Becoming an Angel is the highest honor any mortal can hope to achieve. She will join our battle against fiends – “

“Battle?” Sebastian interjected, “I was under the impression that you were supposed to be pacifists.”

The Angel could not help looking annoyed, but quickly composed herself and smiled once more. “Well, Demon, I’m afraid my purpose here has nothing to do with you. Or rather, you’ve already done your part – without you, she would never have gotten to the state she’s in now. You’ve created your own enemy. How fitting.”

Her smile was razor sharp, and Ciel shivered slightly. Sebastian glanced down at him, but Ciel reassured him with a nod. When they looked back up, the Angel had turned away from them, her head cocked to one side as if listening. She swung abruptly to face them, looking ruffled and irritated. “Where is she? What have you done with her?” the Angel demanded.

“Me?” Sebastian replied innocently, and Ciel could hear the faint smugness in his voice.

“Yes you, Demon. What have you done with my charge?” The Angel was quite angry now, though she was making a considerable effort to hide it.

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. And, as you said, my purpose here is done, so I’ll just be taking my leave…” Sebastian was smirking, and the Angel made a noise of disgust and whirled around once more, listening harder. Sebastian watched her intently, eyes narrowed. The Angel stood for nearly a minute, then straightened in triumph and, shooting one last exultant look back at Sebastian, leapt out the window. Without hesitation, Sebastian lifted Ciel bodily in his arms and followed.

Huge white wings had erupted from the Angel’s back and she soared overhead, making a beeline for the Phantomhive manor. Sebastian ran beneath her. Their speeds were nearly matched, but Ciel’s added weight slowed the Demon down and he began to fall behind. He ran like he’d never run before; Ciel closed his eyes as the trees flashed past nauseatingly fast. As they approached the manor Sebastian put on a last burst of speed, but the Angel had already alighted on Hannah’s windowsill. Sebastian thought it odd that she was making no attempt to enter. He leapt up next to her and saw that she was frozen in place, staring through the window. He turned to look.

Hannah was sitting up in bed, talking to a young boy who was kneeling on the floor next to her. He was gesturing animatedly and Sebastian was shocked to see that Hannah was smiling. Then the boy beside her made a particularly extravagant gesture, almost falling over, and Hannah laughed. “Oh, Finny” Ciel sighed, and Sebastian started. He had completely forgotten that he still held his young master in his arms.

At the sound of Ciel’s voice, the Angel turned towards them. Her face was no longer lovely and serene; rather, it was twisted in fury. “How dare you, Demon,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “You’ve corrupted her - made her useless to us! This isn’t over yet,” She took flight abruptly and hovered ten feet from the ledge. “We won’t forget this, Demon. Rest assured, we’ll be back – you will not stand in our way again!”

She flew swiftly off into the night sky, silhouetted briefly against the moon, then disappeared. Ciel and Sebastian stared after her for what seemed like forever, until Ciel shivered. Sebastian blinked, coming out of his reverie, and leapt lightly to the ground, placing Ciel on his feet. They walked silently to the entrance, both still trying to absorb what had happened. Then Ciel smiled wryly. “It appears that Finnian managed to find his angel after all – only this one may actually deserve the title.”

They had entered the manor and were walking up the stairs, when Ciel stopped and turned to Sebastian. “I think I should have a conversation with Hannah, in order to inform her of all that has occurred this evening.”

Sebastian looked as though he were about to speak, but Ciel raised his hand and continued. “I think it would be best, however, if those revelations were left for tomorrow. Her attention seems to be occupied at the moment, and as she is obviously not panicking…”

Sebastian nodded in assent, and the pair turned away from the guest wing, towards the master suite. Behind them came the noise of an awkward laugh, that of a boy whose voice had not completely finished changing. And following it, almost indiscernible, came the soft, hesitant sound of a laugh that hadn’t been used in a very long time.


	9. Epilogue

“And so you see, my lord, the only explanation can be that in her hurry she became entrapped in the brambles. The blood and tracks around the site confirm that her flight terminated there. I doubt that there will be any body to find – wolves tend to be quite thorough. ”

Claude observed Alois as the boy mulled over the information, twisting the end of Hannah’s braid through his slender fingers. His hands clenched into fists and he tore the braid apart, throwing pieces of it across the room, but when he turned to Claude his face shone with enthusiasm. “I wish I could have seen it, Claude. She must have looked so funny as the beasts ripped her to pieces - like a little straw doll. I’d hoped to kill her myself, but really this is the next best thing.” He grinned malevolently. “ Poor little Hannah, torn to bits – maybe if she’d just worked a bit harder…”

Snickering, he dusted his hands to get rid of the last of her hair. “Enough of that. Help me devise a plan to humiliate and destroy Ciel Phantomhive!”

Claude smiled with the barest hint of contempt. “Yes, your highness.”


End file.
